Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 10 March (BelTA) – The international conference, Death Penalty: Transcending the Divide, which is due in Minsk on 10 March, will promote further cooperation between Belarus and the European Union, MP of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, Chairman of Belarus’ parliamentary working group on studying death penalty as an instrument of punishment Nikolai Samoseiko told media ahead of the conference on 10 March, BelTA has learned.

“Our European partners have finally realized that ultimatums and sanctions lead nowhere. The future of Belarus-EU relations is in a constructive dialogue,” the MP said.

Speaking to journalists, Nikolai Samoseiko noted that death penalty is one of the issues on which the restoration of the PACE special guest status for Belarus depends. The MP believes that the parties should also discuss other issues, including the fight against drug and human trafficking.

Today’s conference in Minsk is organized by the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN. Partaking in it are representatives of different countries, including the UK, the United States, Italy, Spain, Kazakhstan, Switzerland and others.